to WANT to shave DD1's head?

[2ombie5layer]

Ive emphasised want as Im obviously not going to shave her head, but it doesnt stop me wanting to.

I have just spent over 2 hours literally going through her hair with a fine tooth comb in an attempt to get rid of the little blighters that have made a nest in her hair. We first noticed her visitors a few weeks ago when she was scratching away and we found all the bugs. We have tried a couple of treatments, but they haven't worked completely. So after an old thread on here said something about getting some conditioner and a nit comb and spending time going through it all I have done today, but after over 2 hours, I know she still has some in there. We have started to use a conditioning spray that repels them, even though it stinks but as far as I can tell they kill them, but they stay in the hair.

So what am I doing wrong? Ive just lost the will to carry on for now and would like to scream.

So if I get one of those then and do I need to really go through her hair strand by strand (pretty much what I was trying to do today) or can I just comb her hair with it over and over and over again for an hour or so?

ah thanks ivykaty i thought it killed the buggers. good to know incase we ever have an infestation.

Section it, and repeat the sections they are fast little buggers.

What did it not do sovery? It's far more effective than the plastic combs for sure.

Ivy I was thinking of combing the hair while the olive oil was on. Good point about the conditioning of hair will make the straighteners not have such a bad effect. I could also get some hair treatment too for if and when the little blighters are all gone. So if I use olive oil do I not have to do it every day then?

Judging by the amount of eggs that get left on the comb it gets some of them with my dd, fwiw i also go through her hair picking out the buggers, i feel like an ape, i don't eat the findings though.

Apparently there is a new wonder drug for head lice. I have got hold of some but dd hasn't had nits since I got it so not used it on her. However it works wonders on chicken lice.

www.medicalnewstoday.com/releases/99810.php

DD hasn't had nits for a few years, but i have a rio bug zapper (battery comb) and i use tea tree oil in detangler spray.

If all parents checked/treated their DC, there wouldn't be a problem.

first that is what Ive got, cheap value conditioner and a cheap nit comb. Going to invest in a nitty gritty though. It was the parting of hair I found difficult. I was trying to comb very very small sections and kept pulling DD1's hair :( On top of that it wasnt the easiest trying to keep her still, but what 4YO can sit perfectly still for hours on end.

Viva, ivermectin has been around for donkeys years. It's used on all kinds of livestock and pets for treating little visitors inside and outside. I've often been tempted to use louse powder on the brats!

White blobs are already hatched egg cases, you won't shft them. Go to a pharmacy and get the recommended lotion, not shampoo, use that and conditioner comb as well. But, bad news you have to treat the whole household, not just the kids. Otherwise y,ou will just reinfect each other.

I would second tea tree. I do a comb through every now and then with a tea tree conditioner (Tescos). This does get easier as DCs get older.

Short doesn't make things any easier ime - ds had them when his hair was in inch all over.

Can I just add that in my OP, I wasn't thinking I wanted to shave DD's hair to short, but to all off. To shorter than DD2's hair (she's 6 months and just starting to get some). Like I said Im obviously not going to, but WANT to. DS has got very short hair and he had them at first, but they went really easily. They just dont seem to be budging from DD1.

Just been watching a terrible film with SJP in and she got nits thanks to her daughter and they went to a proper hairdresser type place to be treated. I want to do that

Saggy, yes sorry I meant it's new as in using it for head lice is new. Dh is very dubious about me using an unliscenced product that I've bought off the Internet on dd. I've told him they've been using it for years in America and Africa, etc.

I must admit though I'm slightly hesitant. Internet site looked very good but the drugs have come just in a blister pack in a hand written envelope from India.

I would be VERY wary of any medication off the internet! And would never use on my children!

As to the headlice, the eggs (nits) are fixed near the scalp. Dark, plump ones are 'live' and will hatch into lice. These need to be removed - either manually or with a nit comb.

White, flat ones are empty cases or non viable eggs and will not produce a live louse but I would still remove, just to be sure and also as doesn't look good!

The nearer the eggs are to the scalp, the fresher/younger they are. Further down the hairshaft and they are older or previous infestation.

Need to wet comb with conditioner or oil to remove the nits before they hatch and reinfest. I usually do every other day when I have found live lice. Lots of conditioner and cream coloured plastic nit comb works for me. (Found the metal ones dragged the hair and didn't like them)

The next day, I sit with child with white sheet or towel round their shoulders and go through with my magnifying glasses and pick out the nits (and any live lice) I come across. (Put on a DVD for DC). This way I can see the scale of the infestation and work out how long they have been there. Then I know if is a recent one or longer and how much effort I will have to put in to clear it. Usually find most behind the ears or back of crown for some reason.

I also nit comb regularly each time I wash their hair - this way, I can catch the infestation early, before they have had time to lay many eggs.

Always nit comb at end of term and beginning of new term - that way you know if has been picked up from school or family!

I am not too bothered about it now as I know how to clear them (and haven't had any for the past year) but used to p* me off no end when they got them as I couldn't rest until I had cleared them! Only used chemicals the first time and didn't work so resorted to time honoured methods.

HTH and GOOD LUCK!

So you wet the comb? Ive been laying on the conditioner to DD1's head and combing through.

Just as I thought there is no easy quick method. Oh well by the end of the Easter hols I hope she can start her new pre school nit and lice free. Shame its just a long hard task. I dont fancy the idea of going through every single strand of hair piece by piece every day, but what needs to be done needs to be done I suppose.

Thanks for all your help.

I've used vinegar, as well as olive oil, as it unsticks the eggs from the hair shaft.
Still needs hours of combing, there's no getting away fom that.

You have to nit comb every 2/3 days to break the life cycle. If you use a chemical treatment you will kill live lice, but not all the eggs. So you have to nit comb every 2/3 days in order to pick up newly hatched lice before they are mature enough to lay eggs and continue the cycle.

Combing every day is really not necessary.

After we dealt with 'outbreaks' we used to nit comb on a sunday evening as a matter of habit to check for 'new' infestations - which was fun.

ps. me and DD1 have the curliest hair imaginable, so it wasn't exactly a barrel of laughs

pps. supermarket own/basics cheap conditioners by the lorryload are the way ahead.

Also, section the hair before you start, go through with a normal brush/comb first and then wipe the nit comb on loo roll after each swipe when you go through.

The life cycle is 2 weeks iirc so all being well (and not picking up more nits) after a fortnight you should be free!!

Nitmix is great! It's the only thing that has been really effective for us.

How small/big are the sections of hair that you nit comb each time? Mine were tiny. Thats what was taking up most of the time getting lots of tiny sections of hair.

Not tiny, enough to almost fill the nit comb iyswim. Don't make it any harder than it needs to be - as long as you comb every 2/3 days you'll catch 'em.